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You hear the expression all the time: a “highly anticipated album.” But in the case of Mary Gauthier’s Rifles and Rosary Beads, there’s documentary evidence that the label applies.

Advance coverage by NPR, the Los Angeles Times, American Songwriter and many other outlets - not to mention the emotional subject matter of the concept album - suggests that when these story songs are released this Friday, Gauthier’s worldwide audience, and then some, will be paying close attention.

The Tenth Record Store Day takes place April 22. For the growing number of folks whose musical world revolves around revolving vinyl LPs, it's Christmas, Passover, New Year's Day and the Fourth of July.

The annual celebration and promotion was conceived to nurture a revival in vinyl culture and give a jolt, like CPR, to independent record stores, which began closing in droves in the early 2000s.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RHIANNON GILBERT) -- Veteran recording artist and songwriter Todd Snider used the celebration of his 50th birthday as a platform from which to launch his new album Eastside Bulldog on Oct. 7.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — Lady Gaga showed that she could rock a club just as hard as arenas, playing a short set at the 5 Spot bar in Nashville Wednesday night.

A small crowd of fans and guests got to hear her perform three new songs from her forthcoming album, "Joanne." Gaga says she'll appear at two more small bars this week, a nod to the album's "raw Americana" vibe and where she got her start

In a statement, Gaga said finding a way to bring people together is important to her.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RHIANNON GILBERT) -- It’s a Monday night at the 5 Spot in East Nashville. The little barroom is packed with people mingling and dancing to the upbeat sound of artists like The Jackson Five, Chubby Checker and The Supremes.

This is a dance party called “Motown Mondays,” hosted by Reno Bo and Jacob Jones, the DJ duo known as Electric Western. Their aim with Motown Mondays is to give folks a place where they can bust a move to doo wop, garage rock, girl groups and rock ‘n’ roll hits from the 50s and 60s.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT)– New meningitis cases are being reported in Middle Tennessee for the third time this week and the fourth time in a month.

WTVF-TV says officials are reporting four to seven cases of viral meningitis Tuesday among students at Oak View Elementary in Williamson County. Cleaning crews are in the process of disinfecting the school.

Monday the Centers for Disease Control reported that they’re investigating 11 cases of meningitis tied to a Saint Thomas facility in Nashville. Two patients involved in that case have since died.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — The use of commuter buses and a regional train in the Mid-State jumped dramatically this past year.

The Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority and the Regional Transportation Authority of Middle Tennessee provided more than 10 million passenger trips during the period. The increase amounted to more than a million riders in a single year.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Soaring temperatures in Middle Tennessee have broken a record set in 1911.

National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Richards told The Tennessean that the temperature on Saturday hit 95 degrees. That's one degree more than the record temperature of 94 that was set more than a century ago. Richards said the data was recorded at the Nashville International Airport.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn (WMOT) -- StoryCorps is returning to Nashville for the month of May. The oral history program was last in Middle Tennessee in 2007.

StoryCorps’ mission is to provide Americans of every background with the chance to capture their life stories. Launched in 2003, StoryCorp says it’s now recorded more than 40,000 interviews making it the largest oral history projects of its kind.

StoryCrops spokesperson Rose Kue says she thinks the program has proven popular because it speaks to universal themes.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT) -- Earth Day will be celebrated around the world this Sunday and several Middle Tennessee communities have events planned.

Metro Nashville will hold its Earth Day celebration on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. Event organizer Sharon Smith is expecting a big crowd.

“Somewhere around 10,000 people and more from the Middle Tennessee area coming. The Nashville Earth Day Festival is the largest Earth Day celebration in Middle Tennessee, maybe even the state, and we’re very proud that it has grown each year.”

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT) -- A Middle Tennessee gallery is modeling its new arts initiative on the latest fad in sustainable agriculture.

Community Supported Agriculture matches the people who eat food with the people who grow the food. Customers pay farmers, in advance, to deliver fresh produce and other items every week or two.

SeedSpace art gallery in downtown Nashville is now applying that same concept to art. Saturday evening at 6 p.m., SeedSpace will hold what it calls an "art pick-up party." It’s part of a program called CSArt; short for Community Supported Art.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn (WMOT) -- What will religion and spirituality look like in years to come? That’s the big question being explored this weekend during the “Big I” conference being held at the Wisdom House at the Scarritt-Bennett Center in Nashville.

More than 20 speakers from across the nation and representing different faith backgrounds will be on hand to offer their insights. The conference will include both formal presentations and opportunities for attendees to interact with the featured speakers.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT) -- More than 800 area volunteers helped spruce up Nashville Fire stations and a local homeless charity over the long holiday weekend as part of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service.

The event was sponsored by Hands On Nashville and Mayor Karl Dean’s Impact Nashville initiative. Dean and Senator Bob Corker joined volunteers yesterday as they added a new coat of paint to Fire House 19.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A recent study by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce found that Middle Tennessee has experienced a wave of relocations in the past five years. People are moving to the area from other parts of the country at a much higher rate than other metro areas.

Los Angeles was the biggest contributor of new residents from 2005 to 2009. Those relocating include about 600 who came with Nissan North America.

Nashville Mayor Karl Dean was joined Tuesday by Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty at a press conference to announce that the LifePoint hospital group would be relocating its corporate headquarters to an office park on the metro side of Brentwood.